Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia at Jacenovac. Photo: monasterium.ru
Christ is in our midst, my dear readers!
Today we hear the words of the Apostle Paul, which come to us as a spiritual testament: The Lord is my judge. For the Apostle, it mattered not what men thought of him—for there is but one true Judge, and that is God. These words shine forth with particular clarity in the lives of the New Martyrs of Jasenovac, whose memory we honor today. The Serbian people rightly call Jasenovac the Golgotha of the twentieth century—a monument to inhumanity, deliberately forgotten for the sake of nationalism.
From 1941 to 1945, in this camp of death, Orthodox Serbs, Jews, and Roma suffered monstrous torments and were slain by the Ustaše and members of the Catholic organization “Križari”. Men and women were slaughtered like animals, robbed of name and dignity. These atrocities rank among the most horrific in all of Europe. All this—was the judgment of men. The Ustaše judged the new martyrs according to their ideology and hatred. But the Lord revealed the true judgment, glorifying them as witnesses to the Faith.
Why is it so vital for us to remember this? Because we live in an age in which we again hear unjust judgments pronounced against the Church. Today, accusations are raised against us—backed by officials, radical factions, and representatives of other religious communities—even those who themselves endured great suffering during the Second World War—and co-religionists of those who destroyed lives in Jasenovac. These now bring in foreign religious lobbyists, show them Potemkin villages under the guise of religious freedom, participate in slander, support laws directed against us, and strive to strip us of the right to freely confess our faith.
But we remember that such things are not new. Throughout history, the Church of Christ has always met with resistance. And the essence is ever the same: The devil stirs men against the Church. It is important not to harden our hearts or grow embittered against others—but to speak plainly: that they are participating in an unrighteous judgment against the Church. And yet, the final judgment shall not be theirs.
We know that the alliances of men against the Church shall collapse—as did the empires and ideologies of old. But the Church remains, for it is founded upon the Rock, which is Christ. The words of the Apostle Paul give us a spiritual foundation: We are not to live by the judgments of men. Truth is not found in newspapers, nor in government decrees, nor in the voice of the crowd. Truth is in the judgment of God.
When we face unjust condemnation, let us remember: the last word shall belong to Christ.
The New Martyrs of Jasenovac have taught us not to fear the judgment of men. Their witness is a living sermon: If God be with us, what power can take eternity from us? They accepted death, but received immortality. They were condemned on earth, but justified in heaven. Where the world saw “rubbish,” Christ saw His friends.
Our strength does not lie in protest or vengeance, but in steadfastness and faithfulness to God. The New Martyrs did not seek earthly vindication—they bore suffering willingly, knowing that Christ is their justification and their reward.
Let us likewise remember that neither our life, nor the life of the Church, is defined by slander, politics, or the decisions of others. All is decided by this one thing: how Christ shall look upon us. And if we, like the New Martyrs, remain faithful unto the end, we shall hear His words: Well done, thou good and faithful servant: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord (Matt. 25:23).
